"Painting a fuller picture of people's lives in this rapidly-changing world is becoming everyone’s job."

As a revolution occurs throughout the world and within international development circles, the roles and responsibilities for communications are expanding rapidly.

"The Development Element: Guidelines for the future of communicating about the end of global poverty" were developed by Jennifer Lentfer of how-matters.org and the International Development Communications class of Georgetown University Public Relations & Corporate Communications to help communicators be an effective bridge between those who understand what it takes to make development programs effective and those interested in a “quick click” on social media.

Already, communicators are steering the future of the aid, philanthropy, and social enterprise sectors by helping focus on and place emphasis on what matters most. In this new era, communications are no longer only about increasing visibility and building a brand. Today, communications are a strategic part of ensuring an organization can achieve its mission. As storytellers and as meaning makers, communicators can shape and frame the international development narrative, not to just make sure organizations are doing their best, but respecting, humanizing, and upholding the dignity of everyone involved. Perhaps more importantly, communicators are inviting more people to have a seat at the table.

Right now, the full picture of the realities of people’s lives in poor countries is not a part of the development discourse, nor the public’s awareness.

The next generation of international development communicators will be changing that.